A taxi driver was left shaken after being robbed and assaulted by a knife-wielding passenger in Gateshead.

The 60-year-old cabbie was called to Kieran Elsdon's home on May 30. Once in the car, Elsdon demanded a change of route and then ordered the driver out. 

When the cabbie turned to face him, Elsdon produced a knife, threatened him, and struck him in the face, causing swelling to his left eye.

The victim fled the scene, but Elsdon took control of the taxi and drove away, crashing into a parked car. 

Elsdon was quickly apprehended and found to have stolen £200 and a vape from the cab.

Elsdon, 21, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a bladed article, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance,and failing to stop after an accident. 

He was sentenced to 40 months in prison.

Defense counsel Tony Cornberg described the offenCe as "pointless" and said Elsdon was genuinely remorseful, and has been "scared all the time he has been in prison."

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Taxi fares in the city could see a significant increase of nearly 13% just before the holiday season. 

The proposed changes, which are set to be discussed at the licensing committee this week, would affect fares during weekdays, evenings, weekends, and festive periods.

If approved, the new pricing structure would take effect on December 1. The proposed increases include:

• Tariff 1 (daytime): From £3.75 to £4.20, with an increase in mileage rates from 19p to 22p.
• Tariff 2 (weekday evenings): From £4.09 to £4.62, with an increase in mileage rates from 21p to 24p.
• Tariff 3 (weekend evenings): From £4.43 to £5.04, with an increase in mileage rates from 23p to 26p.
• Tariff 4 (festive period): From £5.11 to £5.58, with an increase in mileage rates from 26p to 31p.

The proposed fare increases are based on the Retail Price Index (RPI), which measures inflation. 

According to Chris Elder, a representative for taxi drivers, this is the first fare increase in two years and there should have been one erlier in the year..

He emphasised that the proposed changes are necessary to offset rising costs, such as insurance and vehicle maintenance.

Elder noted that the increases would not affect school or NHS contracts.

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A 71-year-old taxi driver has had his licence revoked by the Stratford-on-Avon District Council due to public safety concerns.

The driver, who has not been identified, had received multiple warnings over the past two years regarding various issues.

Despite assurances that he would address these concerns, the driver continued to engage in "concerning incidents," according to the council's licensing panel.

While the specific details of these incidents were not disclosed, the panel concluded that the driver's driving fell short of the standards expected of licensed drivers. 

This raised questions about his fitness and propriety to continue holding a taxi driver's licence.

As a result, the panel unanimously decided to revoke the driver's licence with immediate effect. 

The driver has chosen not to appeal the decision, meaning he is no longer licensed to operate a taxi in the area.

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Following the tragic murder of private hire driver, Anakh Singh, in 2022, Wolverhampton Council is considering allowing drivers to temporarily record audio inside their cabs using a 'panic switch'. 

While CCTV cameras are already permitted in licensed vehicles, continuous audio recording has been restricted due to privacy concerns with the council stating: "recording conversations would be “highly intrusive to people’s data rights and unjustified in meeting the purpose of preventing and evidencing crimes.”

However, now the local authority is reviewing its stance on this matter, citing the need to protect drivers from violent attacks.

The proposed 'panic switch' would allow drivers to activate audio recording when they feel threatened, providing valuable evidence for law enforcement. 

A final decision is not expected to be made until next year.

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Residents of Stirling are being invited to have their say on plans for a new taxi rank in the city center, as the local authority looks to address a growing demand for taxi services.

Following a survey that revealed unmet demand for taxis, Stirling Council's Planning and Regulation Panel lifted the cap on the number of taxi licences permitted to apply for hire in Stirling city centre. 

This decision, however, necessitates the creation of an additional taxi rank to accommodate the increase in the number of cabs.

The council is currently exploring the possibility of utilising a loading bay on the west side of Port Street. 

The proposed plan would see the loading bay maintain its original function for deliveries and pick-ups during the day (Monday to Saturday, 8:00am to 6:00pm). However, after 6:00pm and throughout the night, the designated area would transform into a dedicated taxi rank, providing a convenient pick-up and drop-off point for passengers.

Stirling residents are encouraged to share their opinions on this proposal by emailing their feedback to traffic@stirling.gov.uk before the deadline of 5:00pm on Monday, September 30th.

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